Museums

When one thinks of items representative of Japan the list inevitably includes kimono, sushi and bullet trains but one shouldn’t overlook the beauty of Japanese woodblock prints or ukiyo-e. The word ukiyo refers to the world of common people and e means picture. This art form originated in the late sixteenth century in the ancient […]

Sitting 52 floors above Tokyo, you will find Tokyo City View in the Roppongi Hills’ Mori Tower where you will share great views of the city with the fish of “Sky Aquarium III” from July 17th – October 4th. The Sky Aquarium intersperses art among fish tanks and utilizes fish tanks and their occupants as […]

The decision on whether Tokyo will once again be honored as the host city of the Olympics is just a few months away. On October 2nd, the Olympic bid committee will decide whether Tokyo will be chosen to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. The Summer Olympics were hosted by Tokyo in 1964 and is […]

Located near Tachikawa, The Edo Open-air Architectural Museum is home to a recreation of a Japanese street scene with buildings from the Meiji Period (1868 – 1912) as well as a number of important historic buildings and cultural assets that have been moved here from different parts of the country and restored. One of the […]

In 1934 Babe Ruth visited Japan as part of a goodwill team that played against an All-Japan team made up primarily of Tokyo Six University League Team players. The American team was managed by Connie Mack and the roster of players included baseball legends Lefty Grove, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Jimmie Foxx. The American […]

Since the latter half of the 1980s, Japanese manga and animation have been increasing popular around the world. More and more works are translated into other languages, manga is used in advertising materials and in the creation of public relations campaigns and has even made it’s way into Japanese textbooks. Manga is even being used […]

ShiShi, Guardian Lions, are often found guarding either side of a Shinto Shrine but they are commonly used a decorative elements for homes and businesses as they are believed to protect against or ward of evil. The Guardian Lions are just one way of determining the difference between a temple and a shrine – do […]

In the shadow of the Ryogoku Kokugikan, better known as Tokyo’s Sumo Stadium, and near the Edo Tokyo Museum you will find Tokyo Metropolitan Yokoamichi Park. This is a small park and doesn’t get mentioned in many Tokyo guidebooks but is an interesting stop for those interested in the history of Tokyo during and after […]

If you have the opportunity to head out of the larger cities and into the more rural areas of Japan there is a good chance that you will be able to see the night sky in all of its glory. But if you are in Tokyo, the city lights and the haze that engulfs the […]

Osamu Tezuku created one of the world’s best know manga and anime characters in Astro Boy during the 1950’s. In Japan Astro Boy is better know as Tetsuwan Atomu, or Mighty Atom in English. Astro Boy was serialized in Japan from 1952-1968 and was the first domestically-produced animated program on Japanese television when it debuted […]